Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. National guidelines recommend reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease in high and medium-risk individuals through lifestyle advice and the prescription of lipid-lowering medication.

Have you ever wondered why and how cardiovascular disease and atherosclerotic plaques develop in the areas that they do? Why is it that some arteries are prone to blockage while others are protected? The answer lies with blood flow.

Evidence has been growing in the medical literature for an association between the variability of a person’s blood pressure and their risk of cardiovascular disease1; those with more variable blood pressure measurements appear to be at greater risk of disease.